1. Navasota ISD does have money alloted through the IMA funding, however, this is a cut from previous years and NISD must be creative on spending and where to get the funding (Gonzalez, 2012). The district does employee a grant writer for the entire district, one way to increase funding is for the technology department to become familiar with the TEA grant opportunities (http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=2147487920&menu_id=951), they can do this by checking the calendar regularly and discussing this with the grant writer (TEA Grant Resources, 2012).
2. Another way to help with funding is to encourage teachers to write grants through the NISD Education Foundation. All teachers who have been trained, any teacher can attend training, can write a grant (Russell, 2012). Teachers need to be encouraged on writing grant and offered the opportunity to have someone assist them. The technology department can set-up a time after school to allow teachers to come and receive assistance on writing their grant. This would encourage more teachers to write grants.
3. E-Rate is obviously one strategy for funding at NJHS, the Director of Technology and Communication is the one that deals with the e-rate services for the district. E-Rate is a “program to provide schools and libraries affordable access to advanced telecommunications services. This program provides discounts ranging from 20% to 90% on Telecommunications Services, Internet Access, Internal Connections, and Basic Maintenance of Internal Connections to eligible schools and libraries” (TPESC).
4. Last year the school district developed a Program Standards Committee who spent time coming up with a rubric to evaluate programs bought to use in the district; the group consisted of administrators from all departments (technology, curriculum, special education, and assessment) and two teachers from each campus (Moreland, 2012). The district can save money by evaluating the programs they already have to see if they are actually being utilized for their purpose, if not cutting the funding and utilizing it in a way that is more beneficial for teachers and students. Also evaluating the programs before being bought.
2. Develop strategies for management plans.
1. One of the goals is that teachers will be able to troubleshoot. To meet this goal, the technology department will have to offer professional development for teachers on troubleshooting and set-up individual training as needed.
2. Professional development will be offered twice a month for each campus during the teachers conference time or after school. One of these trainings a month will be on troubleshooting problems. The professional development will need to be focused so that it allows the teachers to be able to meet the standards set by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) NETs for Teachers. These can be found at the following website: http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers/nets-for-teachers-2008.aspx
3. Hire a second Technology Integration Specialist to assist with professional development. Due to funding this person might have to be hired as part-time or someone who teaches in the district and can do this after school (given a stipend). Eventually this would be a full time position, but to begin with it may need to start off part-time.
3. Describe the required procedures for the proposed strategies.
Funding Strategy 1:
1. Technology Department will need to meet with the Grant Writer
2. Assign someone in the technology department the job to check the calendar regularly and be familiar with the grants available.
3. Monthly discuss any grants that may be available. This will be a very short meeting to share if there is anything available.
4. Continue to work with Grant Writer as grants come available to apply for.
Funding Strategy 2:
1. Set-up multiple days for training on grant writing, not just the one day currently in place a semester.
2. Set aside a day that there would be someone from the technology department on campus to assist with questions on writing grants for technology purposes.
3. Sending e-mails out on tips for what you could write a grant for and how it could be used in the classroom. These could be written by teachers who currently have technology in their classroom. The first e-mail could be on tips for writing grants, the district will send out the following link from K12 Grants to assist teachers: http://www.k12grants.org/tips/10_tips.htm
Funding Strategy 3:
I feel that the district already utilizes E-Rate in a great way, having one person that is in charge and knowledgeable of what is being done.
Funding Strategy 4:
1. Send the rubric to all employees so they know what is expected.
2. Train a group on using the rubric (must include administrators and teachers from various campuses).
3. Start evaluating programs that are being used.Management Strategy 1:
1. Survey teachers on their ability to troubleshoot.
2. Develop Professional Developments that meets the needs based on the survey.
3. Set-up dates for training.
Management Strategy 2:
1. Review most current data from the STaR Chart.
2. Conduct a survey on what teachers feel is their most needed area.
3. Develop professional development while reviewing the NETs for Teachers, making sure that these standards are being covered.
4. Set-up dates for training.Management Strategy 3:
1. Begin by looking at budgets and how this will be funded.
2. Discuss the possibility of starting as a part-time job.
3. Present the job opening to school board for approval, prior to this the technology department will have to make sure they have all the data and plans ready to go.
4. Open for applications.
References:
Gonzalez, R. NISD, NISD Director of Technology and Communication, Personal Communication, February 3, 2012.
ISTE (2008). NETS for Teachers. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers/nets-for-teachers-2008.aspx
K12 Grants. (2010). 10 Grant Writing Hints. Retrieved from http://www.k12grants.org/tips/10_tips.htm
Moreland, J. NISD, NISD Technology Integration Specialist, Personal Communication, March 9, 2012.
Russell, J. NISD, Navasota Junior High School Principal, Personal Communication, March 8, 2012.
TEA Grant Resources (2012). TEA Grant Resources. Retrieved from http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=2147487920&menu_id=951
TPESC. E-Rate Support Center: What is E-Rate? Retrieved from http://tpesc.esc12.net/erate/default.html
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ReplyDeleteCara,
ReplyDeleteNice post--very focused. You stated in section 2.2 "Professional development will be offered twice a month for each campus during the teachers conference time or after school. One of these trainings a month will be on troubleshooting problems. The professional development will need to be focused so that it allows the teachers to be able to meet the standards..."
While Bryan ISD has a very good technology program (1 to 1 laptop grants, T3 grants, frequently presenting pay-for workshops at TCEA and the regional service center) the need is still very great. Technology Specialists report that very few teachers take advantage of the side-by-side "a la cart" trainings offered after-school or during conference periods. I am a perfect example because last year, while I could have requested training on imovie, I struggled it out on my own rather than call the tech specialist in. The tech blog has monthly contests for ipads (employee use) and digital cameras, yet the specialists still have to send out emails begging teachers to read it. (maybe they should teach people how to follow a blog....)
It is a great blog by the way. Check out the Cluster Map at the bottom of their page.
Techy Things Teachers should try.
http://bryantechnology.blogspot.com/
Allison,
DeleteThanks for sharing. When the district first hired the Technology Integration Specialist, the teachers did not utilize her that much, this is her third year, and I know she is very busy helping teachers. I think part of it is because she comes out and does trainings during their conference and builds relationships with them. Also being in a small district helps, everyone knows you.
Cara
Cara,
ReplyDeleteWe definitely need to encourage teachers to write grants and they need to be trained for this purpose. There are some workshops and webinars that could be beneficial for your school. http://www.us-government-grants.net/article_info.php/articles_id/45 How would you convince reluctant teachers to get trained and write grants for the school? In our school, we have to be part of different committees every year, but I noticed no one (I mean teachers) signed-in for the writing grant committee, just two administrators who are rarely working on it. Teachers are very busy and they don’t want extra work.
U.S. Government Grants (2012). Grant writing workshops in Texas. Retrieved March 18, 2012 from http://www.us-government-grants.net/article_info.php/articles_id/45
Angela,
DeleteMy district does employee a Grant writer, who seeks out the bigger grants and does all the hard work for those. The teachers can be trained to write Grants for the Education Foundation, which is a local group that supplies grants. I have received several grants through them, and it is not a hard process or that time consuming. I feel teachers are more likely to write one of these if the training was available more often. The training is only one hour.
I noticed the mention of the NISD Education Foundation. “There has been a gap between the potential of technology and its measurable impact on learning. Buying a cart of laptops or wiring a school is no longer the end goal. New federal priorities tell us that the ultimate result must be an increase in student achievement, and if technology can support this result and prove its worth, then technology can be an integral component of a grant application.” (Love, 2011, p. 60) That is an interesting concept to allow for additional funding on a grant basis. Where does the foundation receive funds to assist in the grant process?
ReplyDeleteLove, P. (2011). The New Approach to Reeling in Tech Funding. District Administration, 47(3), 60,.
Robb,
DeleteThe foundation has sponsors who donate money to them and they have one big fundraiser a year. This fundraiser is a dinner and they sale tables and tickets (it is a little pricey) and they have some well known person come and speak at the event. This is how they gain much of their money.
Cara,
ReplyDeleteI like your management strategy #1. I think it's important to offer professional development to teachers. However, it is more important to offer them training on what they need and want to be trained it. Your strategy involves surveying the teachers before planning professional development. That goes with current research, which states, "The real key to improving student achievement is to make sure teachers get the professional development they need to be successful." (eSchool, 2011)
Reference:
eSchool. 2011. Retrieved from Professional development offerings for the new school year
Monica,
DeleteI agree, I believe we should train teachers on what they feel will be valuable to them. However, sometimes teachers have no idea on what they really need until they see it in a training. Troubleshooting is something that teachers do no realize they can always do themselves.
On your management strategy #2, have you thought about resurveying teachers after a year to see if their ability to troubleshoot has increased? By doing this needs assessment after a year you will have the information to be able to determine which individuals you need to provide additional training. If everyone is at an acceptable level at the end of year, would you then reconsider revamping the training to provider a higher level of troubleshooting?
ReplyDeleteIt is also important to conduct a needs assessment to determine where there is a gap in what the desired technology level is and where it should be in an organization. Additionally it can be used to see what the current and desired job performance or to determine what the existing and desired skills for each person.
ReplyDeleteMiller, J. & Osinski, D. (2002). Training Needs Assessment. Retrieved on March 21, 2012 from the http://www.ispi.org/pdf/suggestedReading/Miller_Osinski.pdf
Norma,
DeleteA needs assessment is very important. The reason I wrote that goal, is because of the Shannon & Cooper Survey, that was one thing teachers rated low.